Medley
by Evil Illusions
Summary: A collection of small ficlets centered around the emotions, thoughts and themes of 'Inuyasha'. A variety of pairings, genres and ratings.
1. Learning

AN: Welcome to this tiny collection of drabbles and spur of the moment stories. This one is just a small tribute to Kagome.

**Learning**

Higurashi Kagome has learned quite a lot in the measly fifteen years since she was first delivered to this world. However, unlike other teenage girls of her age, she did not just learn 'The degenerate of a hyperbola is intersecting lines' or 'A DNA molecule is a double helix composed of nucleotides' or 'That boy in math class is sooo cute!' Oh no, she learned other stuff besides those things. It was more along the lines 'slice its left arm off above the elbow and you should be able to remove the shard' or 'this white flower can null the poison from snake like youkai' or 'if you stop touching her without consent you won't sprout multiple lumps on your head.'

Yes, that sounds about right. Who knew she would learn so much just on the other side of that old forgotten well?

She'd learned how to soothe a little frightened kitsune back to sleep after horrible nightmares;

How to persuade a flaming girl to stop bashing a lethal weapon repeatedly on a rather deserving hentai's head;

And how to coax a stubborn hanyou down from his perch on top of an ancient tree.

Such skills she had acquired and exercised from time to time but no skill, no piece of knowledge she would treasure more than the particular things she'd learned about love.

She'd learned how to smile in spite of her broken heart in order not to distress her friends and family. She'd learned how to dispel hatred and ill will from her heart. She'd learned to stand by her beloved no matter his actions, no matter his choice, no matter his heritage.

And most of all, she learned how to love, not for what the other can give in return, but to love for his happiness.


	2. Normal

Normal 

It never occurred to her that one day, she would consider finding a boy, let alone a demon boy asleep in her bed a normal occurrence.

Kagome gently eased her bedroom door a couple of inches wider, allowing her slim form and gigantic backpack to slip soundlessly into the room. Just a few minutes ago, she had rushed into the house with a breathless 'Tadaima' while anticipating the speech about tardiness from a certain impatient hanyou. Mama had welcomed her home and told her casually that Inuyasha was asleep in her room. For Mama and the rest of the Higurashi household, dog demons snoozing on a young teenage girl's bed was no biggie; nothing to be surprised about. After all, said dog-boy frequently traipsed around the shrine searching for the girl anyway.

Kagome tiptoed lightly across the expanse of her room to her desk, while sliding the thick straps of her bag silently off her shoulder and onto the thick carpet. It was then she turned around to observe the sight that awaited her. A demon boy was curled comfortably on top of her pink covers. His red-clad arms were wrapped securely around his precious sword that resembled a rusty old katana at the moment. Opalescent strands of silky hair fanned out beside his head, spilling across her pillows and sheets in a gleaming waterfall. His expression was one of peaceful contentment, facial features relaxed and one white fang peeking out of his mouth. At the slight movement of the mattress as Kagome sat down beside him, Inuyasha shifted slightly. The pair of furry silver ears swiveled on his head, searching for the source of the rustling sounds and his nose twitched a few times to aid his other senses. After a couple of sniffs and an incoherent mumble, Inuyasha turned to face Kagome and went back to sleep, seemingly content with the identity of his intruder.

A gentle, adoring smile pulled at the girl's soft lips as she continued to watch the boy she loved. Impulsively, her dainty hand reached out to thread the long silvery tresses between her fingers. Equally without thought, Kagome bent down to trace the furry tips of his ears with her lips, slowly caressing the soft appendages.

Inuyasha opened one golden eye lazily to gaze at her in amusement.

"Oi." He greeted groggily, his voice husky with sleep, watching with a knowing half smirk.

"I didn't know puppies liked afternoon naps too." She replied unfazed because kissing her half-demon was quite a normal thing to do.


	3. A Common Thing

**Title:** A Common Thing

**Genre: **G

**Rating: **G

**Pairing:** Inuyasha/Kikyou

**Word Count: **279

**Summary:** It was something that existed for everyone, but her.

**Notes:** Written for the theme 'magic' at iyficchallenge

She'd passed by many groups of young girls just like them many times before, all dressed in brightly patterned kimonos, with flushed cheeks and rouged lips. As soon as one of them caught sight of her, everyone would immediately quiet down. It was as if they felt guilty of talking about such things in front of her.

After a customary greeting, she would continue her way, back straight, eyes focused on the distant temple. But her ears always stayed behind amongst the laughing girls.

With hushed whispers they would discuss what kind of elaborate love tokens they received lately and the strong houses their lovers built. A few giggles started another comment on how warm it felt when embraced by a man and the funny feelings they experienced when holding another's hands. She found it hard to understand. They spoke of love like a pair of chopsticks that everyone had in their house.

Love came to Kikyou in the form of red fur and silver silk. It was spontaneous, it hit her full in the chest like a winter gust. It was like poison slowly spreading through her mind or like heady sake. It was most definitely not common. She decided love was like magic. That was the only way she could describe the turbulence within intense golden eyes and the pulse of emotion flowing from his arms to her body. It was the only word that fit the happiness residing in her heart.

But she was a fool for believing in such an idealistic concept because the first agony of claws sinking in her flesh confirmed that magic did not exist, at least not for a half-real woman.


	4. All I Have

**Title:** All I Have

**Genre:** Romance

**Rating:** G (K)

**Pairing: **Inuyasha/Kagome

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha

**Word count: **247

**Summary:** Gifts come in all shapes and sizes.

**Notes: **Written for the LJ iyficchallenge, theme 'Gift'

He had seen the brightly colored objects peeking from among clothing and other accessories strewn about the floor of her bedroom. And he had secretly watched her open each exquisitely wrapped package, laying the shiny paper in a pile by her feet. Her hands revealed sparkling hairclips, exotic foods and complicated gadgets. She would admire each piece, and then place them in an already overflowing drawer.

He could not deny they were very beautiful gifts, no doubt very expensive as well, befitting for a girl like her.

He, on the other hand, could not possibly compare to this mystery suitor. He was born a lowly hanyou, doomed to a life of constant tragedy that bereaved him of everything he owned. All he had was his hands and the clothing on his back.

When the winds blew fierce, disrupting her sleep, or when it rained fire, he would whip his haori off his figure and drape it over her slender shoulders. He was pleased to see the red fabric hug her body and protect her like he did.

When the others weren't looking, he would brush by and slip two plump peach-colored fruit into her hand, the sweetest ones he handpicked from the crest of the tree. When he saw her lick the runaway juices from her lips, he took pride at his ability to keep her well fed.

His hands and his clothes was all he had; he offered them both to her. And she understood perfectly.


	5. Check Up

**Title:** Check Up

**Genre:** General

**Rating:** G (K)

**Pairing: **ImpliedInuyasha/Kagome

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha

**Word count: **371

**Summary:** Parents are always anxious about their children

She waited anxiously for him at the gate. Her serene beauty never failed to awe him, standing there with her silken hair flowing to the floor. But he knew her better than that, by the subtle way she twisted her fingers against one another, he knew she was excited. She snapped out of her current reverie to lay sparkling eyes on him.

"You've returned!" She reached for his hand in greeting. "Did you see him?"

"Of course." He chuckled in amusement.

"How tall is he now? He only reached my knees before. And did he grow to be as beautiful as he was as a child? And what about his fire-rat clothing? Do they still fit?" She shook his arm for emphasis, delighted in the knowledge her mate held.

"One question at a time itoshii!" He lifted his clawed hands in defeat, still laughing at his wife. "Yes, he is quite tall, but a bit skinny, perhaps he'll grow a little more in a few years. He looks healthy, and his clothes fit."

Suddenly the woman beside him seemed distressed, her bright eyes darkened. As if afraid to ask, she whispered her next query.

"Was he all alone?" Her voice was merely a whisper his sensitive ears picked up.

"Iie. There were many people beside him." His brows furrowed in scrutiny of his memory. At this, the beauty beside him brightened up. "There was a houshi, a kitsune child, a cat youkai and now that I think of it, a taijiya too."

"Oh no." She gasped in horror. "Was he harmed?"

"Not at all. She did not seem hostile towards him."

Hand in hand, the couple strolled leisurely back to the gate.

"Wait, there was also another human, a strange looking girl in a curiously short kimono." He commented, golden eyes already calculating the possibilities.

"Really? What was she doing?"

"Just standing beside him, as were the others. But she stood the closest and he had her hand in his." He turned to wink at his darling wife.

"That's enough." She smiled, tears forming at the corner of her eyes. "I'm glad."

The daiyoukai lord and the human princess walked through the gate and disappeared in the white brightness beyond it.


End file.
